Nimrod Lake
Yell County, Arkansas3,550 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 38 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Nimrod Lake in Yell County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22.5 µg/L. Surface area: 3550 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~38 ft est.
- Area
- 3,550 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 52 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 22.5 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Nimrod Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nimrod Lake in Yell County, Arkansas — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Nimrod Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Nimrod Lake
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Nimrod Lake is a 3,550-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Yell County, Arkansas with an estimated average depth of about 38 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2019. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Yell County, Nimrod Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2019-10-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Nimrod Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Big water3,550 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nimrod Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 22.5 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 52 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 22.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~38 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 3,550 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Arkansas has not published bathymetry for Nimrod Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Quarry Cove Recreation AreaPublic
- Carter Cove Recreation AreaPublic
- Anderson BranchPublic
- Carden Point Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Nimrod Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.2 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.72 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nimrod Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nimrod Dam (completed 1942), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Fourche La Fave; concrete-type dam, 103 ft tall and 1,012 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,550 ac
- Normal storage
- 29,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 336,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 680 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Little Rock District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR00158 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nimrod Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit AR_11110206_4052 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Yell County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Nimrod Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Yell County
Frequently asked questions about Nimrod Lake
Where is Nimrod Lake?
- Nimrod Lake is a lake in Yell County, Arkansas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Nimrod Lake?
- Nimrod Lake in Yell County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22.5 µg/L. Surface area: 3550 acres.
Is Nimrod Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nimrod Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Nimrod Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Nimrod Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 38 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 3550 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Nimrod Lake?
- Nimrod Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Quarry Cove Recreation Area, Carter Cove Recreation Area, Anderson Branch, Carden Point Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Nimrod Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Hot Springs?
Nimrod Lake is about 31 miles from Hot Springs National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Hot Springs →More Arkansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Arkansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
209 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2012–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX205 samples · 2012–2019 - USGS Arkansas Water Science Center
USGS-AR4 samples · 2014
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
- 4500 P J ~ Persulfate Method for Simultaneous Determination of Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory